Pat Crisp

Pat Crisp, president of the Chipola Historical Trust, is pleased to announce two very valuable additions to their historical collection, which is permanently available to the public in the basement of the Jackson County Courthouse.

Jesse and Trina Throssel Smallwood, Chipola Trust members, donated a set of books titled, The War of Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. This was published under the direction of the Honorable Elihu Root, Secretary of War by Brigadier General Fred C. Ainsworth, Chief of the Record and Pension Office, War Department, and Mr. Joseph W. Kirkley, printed at the Washington Government Printing Office in 1901.

The set contains 128 volumes in a series of IV with a General Index. The books are marked as 130 volumes in the set, but Volumes 112 and 113 have not been published, thus no material for them is in hand. They are reserved to contain such additional material as it may be decided to publish in the future.

The information is in date sequence, covering a period of over four years, December 10, 1860 to April 16, 1865. Each volume contains an index for that volume. There is also a General Index, Volume 130, and Additions and Corrections by Mr. John S. Mooday, Indexer.

Homer Hirt, a member of the Chipola Trust also, contributed a library of Confederate Military History, in twelve volumes, written by distinguished men of the South and edited by General Clement Anselm Evans of Georgia. The series was published by Atlanta, Georgia Confederate Publishing Company in 1899. This is a facsimile Reprint

Edition from the original edition of 1899 by the Archive Society, c1944, 130 Locust Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Nine volumes are specific for certain states with these volumes being General History. All volumes contain illustrations. Most volumes have maps. Loose maps have been secured with archival tape into the book. There are several maps which appear to be missing.

There is no index. Each volume has an excellent Table of Contents by chapters and sub-titles within each chapter. The information is written in sequential order by year and date.

Volume I Part 1 and Part 2, General History

Volume II Maryland and West Virginia

Volume III Part 1 and Part 2, Virginia

Volume IV North Carolina

Volume V South Carolina

Volume VI Georgia

Volume VII Part 1 Alabama, Part 2 Mississippi

Volume VIII Tennessee

Volume IX Kentucky and Missouri

Volume X Part 1 Louisiana, Part 2 Arkansas

Volume XI Florida and Texas

Volume XII General History

The Chipola Trust is deeply indebted to Dale Guthrie, Clerk of the Circuit Court, who made available a series of secured shelves in the basement of the Courthouse where thousands and thousands of historical items are archived.

All books have been stamped by Archivist Nadine Standland with the Chipola Historical Trust ownership stamp and she has repaired several volumes.

The books are located in an area where they may be easily used for research and returned to their shelf, as is the case of any other historical records in the Courthouse.

The Chipola Trust invites anyone interested in research into ancestral Civil War participation to use these very informative volumes for their research and The Trust greatly appreciates these two families for sharing their collections of Civil War research information with the public.

The Smithsonian traveling display featuring "The settling of America" has arrived in Blountstown at the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement. Local displays will be added to the traveling display of free-standing collages showing all areas of American life as the country was settled by our people.

The local displays will feature stories about families in the area as they came and built their homes, raised their families and helped develop the counties in the area, as well as how they came to America from different counties.

The Chipola Historical Trust's display features the two families who responded to the request to submit their family history.

The Lovic Sexton Family came to the area in 1844 from North Carolina. Ironically, the log cabin built by Mr. Sexton, reportedly in the late 1860's or early 1870's is one of the homes which has been relocated to the Pioneer Village and restored. It can be seen by walking to the further-most point on the property directly behind the display building. It is a one room home, furnished as it would have been at that point in time. This is the family of Harvey Sexton, longtime Tax Assessor for Jackson County. Many family members still reside in Jackson and Calhoun Counties.

The other family who responded was the Dunaway Family who still lives on Nubbin Road where the family, who moved to Jackson County from Georgia, settled and built their home in 1906. This family came on the paddle wheeler, The M.W. Kelly, which brought them to Neel's Landing with all their earthly possessions. There is also a beautiful story about their ancestor, William Dunaway, born in 1751, who fought in the Revolutionary War in the 5th Virginia Regiment under General George Washington and later helped drive the British out of Georgia.

The Chipola Trust also features the river system of the Flint, Chattahoochee and Apalachicola Rivers which served for many years as the "Interstate Highway System" for this area of America. There were no good roads, and all products produced in this area and those consumed, but not produced locally, had to travel on the river to their proper destinations. Also, any people traveling great distances had to use the river boats in order to move temporarily or permanently from one location to another. The story is told about the first cars being brought into Jackson County were unloaded at Neel's Landing (near where the bridge crosses the river on the way to Donaldsonville, GA). They had to be driven back to Marianna over buggy trails---there were no real roads!

The display will be open beginning Saturday, July 14th, and each Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. until August 25th. The Park is located about 3 miles west on Highway 20 from the traffic light on US 71 in downtown Blountstown. It is on the north side of Highway 20. There are signs directing to the park which features many relocated and restored homes, a church, an old one-room schoolhouse, an old store and other interesting relics from the past. It is an exciting and educational place to visit.

Community Calendar

Wednesday, March 20

Hooks and Needles --- 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., Greenwood Branch of the Jackson County Public Library, 4207 Street, Greenwood. Please join us each Wednesday to learn about your favorite handcraft projects using hook and needles, teach what you know, and create some fun projects using your hook and/or needles all while socializing with friends, fellow patrons and staff. New and experienced hand crafters welcome to create, share, learn or teach favorite projects. Call (850) 594-4961 for more information.